Mawage. That’s why we’re here. Honestly, if you can read that word without hearing the high-pitched, nasal wheeze of Peter Cook’s "Impressive Clergyman," you probably haven't seen The Princess Bride enough times. The marriage scene from The Princess Bride is a masterclass in tonal whiplash. It sits right in the middle of a high-stakes rescue mission, yet it halts everything for a bit of ecclesiastical satire that has outlived almost every other wedding scene in film history.
Why does it work?
It’s not just the lisp. It’s the sheer audacity of William Goldman’s writing and Rob Reiner’s direction. They took the most "important" moment of the movie—the villain finally securing his prize—and turned it into a gag about speech impediments and the definition of love. It’s brilliant.
The Setup: Chaos in the Chapel
Buttercup is miserable. Humperdinck is a jerk. Westley is "mostly dead" and currently being lugged around by a giant and a Spaniard. This isn’t your typical romantic backdrop. The tension is supposed to be at a breaking point, but then we cut to the Clergyman.
The brilliance of the marriage scene from The Princess Bride lies in how it subverts the "ticking clock" trope. Usually, in an action movie, the wedding would be a frantic race against time. Here, the time is being wasted by a man who can’t quite get the word "marriage" out of his mouth. It’s agonizing for the characters, but it’s pure gold for the audience.
Peter Cook, a legend of British comedy, wasn't even the first choice for the role, but he owned it. He turned "love, true love" into "wuv, twue wuv," and in doing so, he gave us a line that people still put on cocktail napkins at real-life weddings forty years later.
Why We Can't Stop Quoting "Mawage"
There’s a specific kind of magic in the way the Clergyman describes "that blessed arrangement" and the "dream within a dream." It’s poetic, but it’s nonsense. Most people don't realize that the scene is actually much longer in the original script.
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The marriage scene from The Princess Bride originally had more dialogue about the "bwessed awwangement," but Reiner trimmed it to keep the pace snappy. What’s left is a concentrated dose of absurdity. It highlights the hollow nature of the union between Buttercup and Humperdinck. It isn't a marriage; it’s a legal transaction being performed by a man who seems more interested in the sound of his own voice than the souls of the people standing before him.
The Legal Loophole That Saved Westley
If you pay attention to the dialogue, the wedding is actually a total sham. Humperdinck is in such a rush to get to the "killing his wife" part of his plan that he cuts the Clergyman off.
"Man and wife! Say man and wife!" he barks.
Because the Clergyman never actually finishes the ceremony—and Buttercup never says "I do"—Westley is able to argue later that the marriage never happened. "You didn't say it, you didn't do it," he tells her. It’s a classic bit of Goldman logic. He sets up a joke in the marriage scene from The Princess Bride that actually functions as a vital plot point later on. That’s top-tier screenwriting.
Behind the Scenes: Keeping a Straight Face
Imagine being Cary Elwes or Robin Wright during this. Actually, don't imagine—Cary Elwes has talked about this in his memoir, As You Wish. He mentioned that the cast struggled immensely to stay in character.
Chris Sarandon (Prince Humperdinck) had to maintain a look of regal impatience while Cook was doing his bit. Apparently, the "Impressive Clergyman" was improvising some of the rhythms, making it even harder to predict when the next "wuv" was coming.
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- The Look: The Clergyman’s robes were intentionally oversized to make him look more ridiculous.
- The Voice: Cook based the voice on a specific type of upper-class English stutter, but dialed it up to eleven.
- The Reaction: Buttercup’s look of utter despair isn't just because she’s marrying a villain; it’s the look of someone who has to stand still while a man talks about "peatht" (peace).
The Cultural Impact of the Impressive Clergyman
Go to any wedding today where the couple has a sense of humor. There is a 40% chance the officiant will start with "Mawage." It has become a universal shorthand for "we’re taking this seriously, but not too seriously."
The marriage scene from The Princess Bride resonated because it punctured the balloon of cinematic wedding tropes. Usually, movie weddings are either beautiful or disastrous. This one was just... weird. It felt human in its absurdity.
The Philosophy of "Twue Wuv"
While the scene is played for laughs, it serves as a stark contrast to the rest of the film's themes. Westley and Buttercup represent a love that is gritty, painful, and requires literal resurrection. The Clergyman’s version of love is a "dream within a dream"—something ephemeral and silly.
By placing the marriage scene from The Princess Bride right before the final confrontation, the filmmakers remind us what the stakes are. Humperdinck wants the ceremony; Westley wants the woman. One cares about the "awwangement," the other cares about the person.
Technical Mastery in a Comedy Scene
Look at the editing. The way the camera cuts between the Clergyman’s slow delivery and Humperdinck’s twitching jaw is perfect. It creates a rhythmic tension. You want him to finish the sentence just as much as the Prince does, but for different reasons.
The lighting in the Great Hall is also surprisingly dark. It’s not a bright, celebratory wedding. It’s moody and oppressive. This visual weight makes the comedy pop even more. When the Clergyman starts talking about "the wing," the contrast between the Gothic setting and the ridiculous speech is what triggers the laugh.
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Facts You Might Have Missed
Many fans think the Clergyman is a real bishop or something. In the book, he’s just a guy Humperdinck found. The movie keeps his origins vague, which adds to the surrealist vibe of the whole kingdom of Florin.
Also, the "Impressive Clergyman" is the character's actual name in the credits. Not "The Priest" or "The Minister." He is Impressive. That’s a specific joke about how he views himself versus how the world views him.
How to Channel This Energy in Real Life
If you’re planning a wedding and want to pay homage to the marriage scene from The Princess Bride, don't just copy the speech. That’s been done. Instead, focus on the vibe.
- Timing is everything. If you’re going to do a bit, make sure it’s at a moment of high tension.
- Commit to the bit. Peter Cook didn't wink at the camera. He played it like he was delivering the most important sermon of his life.
- Keep it brief. The scene works because it’s short. Don't let your "mawage" intro go on for ten minutes.
The lesson here is simple. Comedy works best when it interrupts something serious. The marriage scene from The Princess Bride isn't just a funny aside; it’s the heartbeat of the movie’s irreverent spirit. It tells us that even in the face of death, evil princes, and giant rats, there’s always room for a little bit of "wuv."
What to Do Next
If you're a fan of this scene, your next step is to dive into the source material. Read William Goldman’s original novel. The "S. Morgenstern" framing device adds an entirely new layer of cynicism and humor to the wedding that the movie couldn't fit in.
You should also check out the 2020 "Home Movie" version of The Princess Bride made during the pandemic. Seeing different actors (like Benedict Cumberbatch or John Aryan) try to recreate the marriage scene from The Princess Bride from their living rooms proves just how much the dialogue carries the weight, regardless of the budget.
Watch the scene again. This time, don't look at the Clergyman. Look at Buttercup’s eyes. The contrast between her genuine tragedy and his buffoonery is where the real art happens.